Toshinori Murashima - Folkrock (Baby Noise) We get to hear a reasonable amount about the Japanese experimental scene, but it’s usually the practitioners of the heavy stuff that receive coverage. Toshinori Murashima is at the other end of the sound spectrum, building his music around sparse, picked guitars, wiggy freakouts and oblique noise collages. The effect is akin to something that you’d find on a Tower Recordings or PG Six record, but without the excessive drone of the former or the instrumental versatility of the latter. But what Folkrock lacks in complexity and pyschedelic flourish, it more than makes up for with pure, unadulterated charm and the capacity to surprise at every turn. Whether after a dozen plays I’ll still be as enamoured, I don’t know - and I’m not learning Japanese just yet - but right now I’m smitten. Rob F. Next Past Reviews: March 07, April 07, May 07, June/July 07, Sept/Oct 07, Dec07, Jan08, Feb 08, Mar 08